THE EMPATHY PROJECTSBY DYLAN SCHOLINSKIempathy produces a total travesty if it doesn’t unravel the nature of the outsider’s presence

the concepts behind 2 of the current empathy projects -

“it is my hope to widen the opportunities for others to question their own identities while also normalizing trans* identities by providing the space for all people/trans to feel empowered, to increase support and compassion in community. use abstracted props to create a communal experience that heightens awareness of the strength and fragility of community.”

for whywon’t you play with me? playing catch in open and often forbidden spaces

“i hope to examine play as sacred, covered, structured, planned and limited - from the idea that as children we begin to play and are open... then pretty quickly the phrases like “no”, “not inside”, “not right now”, “that’s not how it’s done”, ‘“let me show you”, or “ that is not how a girl/boy does it”, and so on… trickle in and change everything. we become afraid of play - embarrassed, uncomfortable, anxious, and hidden. With this piece i want to show how obvious and harmful this practice is to us all.”

the action-participants will wear printed nobody knows i’m trans* t-shirts, hand out zines, and play catch with each other with a variety of balls in and around the space.

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